Stay
by Raziel12
Summary: Tifa gets a visitor at the bar, just after closing time. Tifa x Lightning.


**Stay**

Tifa waved to the last of her customers as they left the bar. Closing time on Friday was always a bit rowdy, but she'd gotten very good at getting people out of the bar on time and without a fuss. It helped that most of her regulars had seen her put at least one person through a wall with her bare hands. It wasn't exactly normal, but she hadn't been normal in a long time.

She turned to the rest of the bar's workers and smiled. They'd been even busier than usual, and they'd handled things perfectly. "Great work tonight, guys. Now, let's just get this place tidied up, then we can all go home."

There were a few muted cheers at that, and Tifa bit back a laugh. The weekend beckoned, and quite a few of the others had plans. In short order, the bar was clean and tidy again. As the others headed out the door, Tifa busied herself with the drinks behind the bar. She wasn't heading up to bed just yet.

Soon enough, she heard the door swing open again, followed by the sound of boots on the floor. The sounds were a courtesy. She knew whom those boots belonged to, and they could move without a sound when they had to. Still, Tifa didn't bother to turn. Instead, she relished the feeling of familiar eyes upon her, and she gave a quiet chuckle as the gaze on her intensified when she bent over to reach for the whiskey.

With the whiskey and a glass in hand, Tifa turned. "Lightning."

"Tifa." The pink-haired woman eased a stool over to the bar and sat on it with the same almost eerie grace with which she did everything. Even after what had to be another long week keeping order in the area, Lightning refused to slouch.

"So… how are things?" Tifa poured Lightning her whiskey and pushed it across the counter. She'd learned early on that Lightning never ordered anything stronger than a cola during the week. It was only on Friday that the soldier let herself indulge. "Busy?"

"It's always busy," Lightning murmured. She took a sip of her whiskey, and Tifa studied the slender column of her throat. "It doesn't help that your friend Yuffie was in town earlier this week. She may be royalty, but she's also trouble."

Tifa grinned and gave Lightning a pat on the hand. "Yuffie is an… acquired taste. Just be glad that she's gone to pester Vincent."

"That man is either going to marry her or strangle her." Lightning's lips twitched, and she brushed back a lock of pink hair, her gaze drifting from Tifa's burgundy eyes to the bead of sweat that trickled toward Tifa's collar bone. "I can easily imagine him doing both."

"Well, Yuffie is one of the only people in the world who can make Vincent smile, even if it's because he's imagining all the ways he can kill her." Tifa poured herself a glass of whiskey. "You know, you could always come in during regular hours. My staff is beginning to take bets about why you always wait until after closing time to come in and why I always let you."

"I like coming in late." Lightning reached over and cradled Tifa's hands in hers. She was pleased to see that the other woman's knuckles didn't seem the least bit red. Either Tifa hadn't needed to punch anyone, or she'd at least remembered to put on her gloves first. "I'm selfish, Tifa. I don't like sharing you with anyone else. Coming in after closing means I don't have to."

"Dummy." There was no bite to Tifa's words, only exasperation and fondness. "Tell me more about your day."

They passed the next half an hour talking about how their days had gone. It was small talk, for the most part, but Tifa savoured it. Lightning was not someone who usually did small talk. Indeed, Lightning wasn't one to talk much unless it was actually needed, which was a shame since Lightning had a lovely voice. She had a good sense of humour too, when she let it show, and Tifa made sure to share all the small, humorous little tidbits from her day at the bar.

"You know," Tifa said, walking over to the doors. "Cloud and Aerith took Denzel and Marlene camping this afternoon. They won't be back until Sunday evening."

"Is that so?" Lightning tapped the side of her glass with one finger.

"Yes." Tifa locked the doors and walked back to Lightning, leaning over the other woman and wrapping her arms around her. "You could stay."

Lightning pretended to think it over, and Tifa pressed a kiss to her cheek. She knew Lightning would stay. She always did. It was one of the things Tifa loved about her. Lightning did not let people into her heart easily, but she would defend those she had let in to the death.

It reminded her of when Lightning had first arrived in the area, a newly minted Guardian Corps officer. She'd come from the wealthy suburbs of Cocoon with an immaculate uniform and perfect posture. People hadn't thought she'd last long. Even Tifa hadn't been sure what to make of her.

But Lightning had completed her compulsory tour of duty in the less savoury parts of town, and then she'd done something no one had expected. She'd stayed. No Guardian Corps officers stayed unless they had to, that was how it had always been. But Lightning had, and she'd set about cleaning up the neighbourhood with military zeal.

In the five years since Lightning had arrived, she'd organised raids, reached out to the community, recruited more officers - whatever it took to make things better. And it had worked as people slowly, but surely, realised that Lightning was in it for the long haul. She'd stayed, and that meant something. It meant a lot, actually. Now, Lightning was a familiar figure in the area, and it wasn't unusual to see Guardian Corps officers patrolling the streets and keeping order.

And for some reason or another, Lightning had chosen Tifa's bar to unwind in. Maybe it was dumb luck, or maybe Lightning had heard that Tifa was one of the other people interested in making things better. Whatever it was, Tifa was just glad that Lightning had chosen to walk in late one night to shoot the breeze over some whiskey.

"You know, I'll have to send Serah a message." Lightning reached into her pocket for her phone.

"Oh?" Tifa grinned, and her grin only widened when Lightning gave her a half-hearted glare. "The mighty Lightning Farron has to tell her sister when she wants to spend the night away from home?"

"The mighty Lightning Farron's sister will turn up at your bar with a bow if I don't."

Tifa reached for the phone and typed out a quick message telling Serah that Lightning would be staying over. "I guess you have a point. Serah is very good with a bow." She snickered at Serah's immediate reply: a smiley face.

"Yes, she is." Lightning stood up and turned, pulling Tifa into her arms. "I don't have work this weekend."

"Good." Tifa ran one finger along Lightning's cheek. "Hmm… you could use a bath."

"So could you." Lightning's eyes gleamed.

"It's a good thing, then, that we've got this whole place to ourselves." Tifa gave the stairs that led to her living quarters a meaningful glance. "How do you feel about a shower right now?"

"Together or separately?" Lightning leaned forward. "Because, you know, I recently started that water-saving initiative."

"It would be a shame to waste water." Tifa pressed her lips to Lightning's but pulled back before the kiss could become anything more than a taste of what was to come. "Carry me."

"Up the stairs and all the way to the shower?" Lightning nevertheless scooped Tifa up into her arms.

"Yes." Tifa cupped Lightning's cheek. "I'll make it worth your while."

Lightning smirked and then showed exactly how she'd earned her nickname by making it to the shower in record time.

They did not, as it turned out, end up saving any water.

X X X

 **Author's Notes**

As always, I do not own Final Fantasy. I am not making any money off of this either.

For firstone33, who wanted some Lightning x Tifa, which I just so happened to be in the mood to write.

As always, I appreciate feedback. Reviews and comments are welcome.


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